Egg curry recipe – Spicy, flavorful & delicious punjabi egg curry made in dhaba style. This anda curry is exceptionally good when you are not in a mood to cook something elaborate. But wish to make quick delicious food. This egg curry can be served with roti, plain paratha , plain rice or flavored rice like jeera rice, biryani rice, pulao, coconut rice, coconut milk rice or any biryani varieties.
Punjabi foods are popular for their unique taste & rich flavor. This egg curry is no exception to that. Some of the world popular are these Samosa, Dum aloo & Dal makhani
Indian cuisine is diverse and egg curry is made in numerous ways in each region. In this post I share with you the most basics of making a good delicious Indian egg curry & its variations.
Basics of an egg curry
To make egg curry, firstly whole spices are tempered in oil and then the onions fried in the oil until golden.
Then the ginger garlic paste is sauteed to bring out the aroma. Later tomatoes are cooked until they break down and then salt, spice powders are added to it.
Next the key ingredient eggs go into this boiling gravy. Finally finished off with the addition of some herbs like coriander leaves or kasuri methi.
Tips to make egg curry
In this post I have shown how a punjabi dhaba style egg curry is made. But the tips mentioned below will help you swap in some ingredients for the other depending on your taste & availability of the ingredients.
1.Whole spices: Cumin, bay leaf, cinnamon,cardamoms & cloves are the whole spices that are used in a egg curry. However you can use whatever you have in hand. Even one or 2 kinds of spices will enhance the aroma of the dish. If you have mustard seeds just go ahead and use them.
2. Ginger garlic: I have used ginger garlic paste. It can be replaced with minced, crushed or grated ginger garlic.
3. Onions: To make a egg curry, most people use finely chopped or grated onions. Using chopped onions will yield a slightly chunky egg curry. You can use in any form you like.
4. Tomatoes: This recipe can be made with fine chopped or pureed tomatoes. Pureed tomatoes will prevent the curry from turning watery. In some places, I have seen Dhaba style egg curry is made with grated tomatoes.
The texture of your curry depends on how the onions and tomatoes are used. I personally prefer the pureed version as my boys are super fussy to chunky curries.
Variations
A basic egg curry is made without any cream, cashews or coconut milk. We Indians make most regular curries without any of those. Only for occasions I do add them. Here are some variations you can make to the egg curry.
1.Cream : If you prefer a creamy egg curry, then add in 3 to 4 tbsps of cream towards the end.
2. Cashews : You can also add about 8 to 10 cashews to add a milky aroma to the gravy. They also add volume to the dish.
Here are more egg curry recipes
Spicy egg masala
South Indian egg gravy
Egg butter masala
Chettinad style egg masala
Kadai eggs
Punjabi egg curry or anda curry
Egg curry recipe | How to make egg curry
Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )
Ingredients for egg curry
- 4 to 5 boiled eggs
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 onions finely chopped, grated or pureed
- 3 tomatoes finely chopped or pureed
- 1 green chilli (optional) chopped or slit
- 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste or finely minced
- Salt as needed
- 1 to 1 ¼ cup water (adjust slightly as needed)
- 1 tablespoons Coriander leaves chopped finely
- ¼ teaspoon Kasuri methi or fenugreek leaves (optional)
- 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
- 4 tablespoons cream or 10 cashews blended with ½ cup water (optional)
Whole spices (skip if you do not have)
- 1 small bay leaf or tej patta
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon piece cumin or small piece of cinnamon
- 2 green cardamoms (elaichi) (optional)
- 2 cloves (laung) (optional)
Spice powders
- ½ to 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- ½ to 1 teaspoon garam masala (refer notes)
- ½ to 1 teaspoon coriander powder (optional)
- 1/8 teaspoon turmeric or haldi
How to make the recipe
Preparation for egg curry
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a nonstick pan & saute the eggs until golden.
- Remove the eggs to a plate & sprinkle 2 to 3 pinches of chilli powder.
How to make egg curry
- Add another tbsp oil. Saute cumin, bay leaf, cardamoms and cloves (optional) just for a minute.
- Next add & fry the onion & chilli until golden.
- Add ginger garlic paste and saute until the raw smell goes off.
- Then add tomatoes and saute well until the mixture turns mushy.
- Next add red chili powder, garam masala, coriander powder, turmeric, sugar and salt.
- Fry everything well until a nice aroma comes out & the mixture leaves the sides of the pan.
- Pour water just as needed to make a gravy.
- Cook until the curry thickens and oil begins to separate.
- Check the salt and adjust if needed.
- Add the boiled & fried eggs, kasuri methi if using.
- Optional – Blend together 10 cashews with half cup water to smooth milk. Pour it. Cook covered for 2 to 3 mins until the curry turns thick.
- Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves.
- Serve punjabi egg curry with roti or naan or plain rice.
Instant pot egg curry
- Press saute button and add oil to the inner pot of the Instant pot. Add spices & bay leaf.
- Add ginger garlic and fry for 30 seconds. Then add the tomatoes and salt.
- Fry until the tomatoes breakdown. Add chilli powder and turmeric. Saute for a min.
- When the cumin begins to sizzle add onions and green chilli. Saute until the onions turn light golden.
- Then pour 1 cup water and deglaze the pot by scrubbing the bottom of the pot with the spatula.
- Place a long leg trivet. Place your basmati rice bowl. Cover it. Then place the eggs in another bowl. Cover it.
- Secure the IP with the lid. Position the steam release handle to sealing.
- Press the pressure cook button (high pressure). Set the timer to 7 mins.
- When the IP is done, press the cancel button.
- When the pin drops, open the lid. Do a quick manual release by moving the steam release handle from sealing to venting. You can also wait for 5 mins for a natural release.
- Pour cold water to the eggs and let them cool down. Peel the eggs and prick them with a fork.
- Press the saute button and simmer the eggs in the curry for a minute.
- Then pour the cream or cashew milk or coconut milk.
- Stir well and cook until the curry thickens. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Turn off and garnish with coriander leaves.
Video
NUTRITION (estimation only)
Notes
- You can use onion chopped, grated or pureed. If you prefer to puree, then boil cubed onions in 2 cups water for 2 to 3 mins until they turn transparent. Cool and make a paste.
- If using a stronger garam masala, use half tsp of it along with 1/2 to 1 tsp coriander powder.
- To make the gravy richer pour 4 tbsps of cream or blend 10 cashews in a blender with half cup water to smooth milk. You can also substitute with coconut milk.
- For a chunky egg curry, skip pureeing the onions. Just use the fine chopped onions.
- To a pot add 3 to 4 cups of water. Rinse the eggs & gently place them in the pot. Cover & boil the eggs on a medium flame until you see cracks on at least one of the eggs. Turn off the stove and rest for 10 mins.
- Discard the water & keep the eggs immersed in cold water until the temperature cools down. Shell the eggs gently and prick them with a fork so they absorb the flavors.
If you are a beginner or new to Indian cooking, I highly suggest you to check the supporting step by step photos for best results. Step by step photos with description available below after the recipe card.
Preparation for anda curry
1. To make this punjabi egg curry, you can use onions that are finely chopped or grated or pureed. The texture of the gravy depends on how you use it.
Make a fine paste of onions in a blender. Some onions lend a bitter taste when made to a paste. If you are one who is experiencing that, then you can boil the onions in water for 3 mins. Cool and then make a paste. But I used raw onions.
2. Set this aside in a bowl.
3. You can use fine chopped or grated or pureed tomatoes. I went ahead making a puree. Blend tomatoes in the same jar.
4. Set this aside as well.
5. Prick the boiled eggs with fork. Heat oil in a pan and fry them until golden.
How to make punjabi egg curry
6. Saute bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. You can use the same pan used to fry eggs.
7. Add the onion paste. Saute until the raw smell goes off and the paste turns golden.
8. Next put in the ginger garlic paste and fry until the raw smell goes away.
9. Transfer tomato puree and saute until the raw smell goes away.
10. Add red chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, sugar and salt.
11. Fry the masala until it begins to smell good and oil begins to separate. Takes about 2 to 4 mins. I haven’t used much oil here so oil is not visible. But dhaba style anda curry is made with more oil.
Making gravy
12. Pour water good enough to make a gravy. Boil the gravy until it thickens and oil begins to separate. Taste the gravy and check the salt. If needed add more.
13. Add the fried eggs and cover. If using kasuri methi add it now. Stir well. Cook on a medium flame for 2 to 3 mins.
Meanwhile blend together 10 cashews with half cup water to smooth milk. Then pour it and cook for 2 to 3 mins until the curry turns thick. Sprinkle coriander leaves. Serve punjabi egg curry with rice, roti or paratha.
Su says
Hi Swathi I’ve made this egg curry twice. It is very delicious and very easy to make. Thank you for sharing a very tasty recipe. God bless!
swasthi says
Welcome Su
Glad to know! Thank you so much!
Winnie says
This was definitely the best egg curry that I have ever tried. So flavorful and so very tasty. The onion and tomato puree made all the difference.
swasthi says
Thanks Winnie
Glad to know!
Sam says
Simple to make and really tasty! Thoroughly enjoyed and will be checking out more of your recipes.Thank you 😁 👍
swasthi says
You are welcome! Thank you
Sikha says
Hi,
I follow your blog in regular basis. The way you explain is very easy and looks delicious as well. I tried few of them its awesome. Thank you for sharing recipes 🙂
swasthi says
Hi Sikha
You are welcome! Glad to know. Thank you for following the blog.
Kristina Davis says
Really tasty!
swasthi says
Thank you
Sulochana sundaram says
You are simply superb.your dishes are excellent.please keep the great job of posting your different varieties
swasthi says
Thank you so much!
Ruchi says
Hi Swasthi
Your recipes are wonderful. I was wondering if you could advise some day to day recipes for diabetics….esp those without paneer and soya.
Thx.
swasthi says
Hi Ruchi,
Thank you!
Any food with whole grains is best. Like dalia, millets etc. Any dosas made with millets or lentils or whole grain khichdi etc. I have a lot of whole grain recipes on the blog. Please use the recipe index in the menu bar to find them.
Natty says
Can I use 1TSP garam masala together with 1TSP coriander powder?
swasthi says
Hi Natty,
Yes I use that much. If you don’t like too much of spice flavor then you can reduce.
Sidhartha Sinha says
Good morning!
Your recipe on egg curry was a hit yesterday. Wonderfully explained and came out perfect. The pics helped tremendously.
I am 63 years and learning to cook during the lock down.
Today I am going to try your rajma!
Thanks a ton
swasthi says
Good Morning Sir,
You are most welcome! So glad to know the curry turned out good. Thank you! Hope you enjoy rajma too.
Atanukumar Ghosh says
I am just a beginner and this is the 1st time I tried my hand at cooking.
The cooking procedure was well explained and it was user friendly.
Thanks and looking forward to trying out many more of your recipes.
swasthi says
Hello!
You are welcome. Glad to know! Thank you so much! Yes do try them.
Moha Antani says
One of the best recipes of curry ever! I can’t believe how flavourful the curry was, and the addition of sugar was so nice. Def. going to be a staple now!
swasthi says
Thanks Moha
Glad you liked it
Sandhya Monteiro says
Hi I follow most of your receipes.
It would be great if you can write the ingredientsmeasurements with the picture that shows step by step cuz it becomes difficult to scroll up for ingredients and again come down to see the image. Please
swasthi says
Hi Sandhya
Thanks for following! Yes I understand. I will try to do it
Pooja Dutta says
Very easy and delicious recipe
swasthi says
Thanks Pooja
Meghna says
I tried this recipe and it came out really delicious. Thank you for such an easy & tasty recipe. Keep posting👍👍
swasthi says
Hi Meghna
You are welcome. Thank you so much! yes will surely keep posting!
Susan18 says
Very helpful and quite easy recipe 👍🏻
swasthi says
Thank you Susan
Huzia says
Hi swasti i like ur receipes it tastes very delicious ..thanku for the help
swasthi says
Hi Huzia,
You are welcome. Glad you like the recipes.
Radhika says
Kasuri methi is very moist and not dry. Also it’s a bit darker than usual. Is it expired? Should I throw it?
swasthi says
Hi Radhika!
You should always keep it in the fridge for better shelf life. It is good to discard
Susan says
Goood recipe. I liked it. What’s the difference between this and the South Indian egg curry? And also my cashew paste is not smooth and there are small pieces in there what to do
swasthi says
Hi Susan,
Thank you! Both are completely different in terms of flavor. The south indian curry uses curry leaves and mustard while the punjabi egg curry does not. There are many more differences like kasuri methi, cream etc. Pour more water and blend to get smooth cashew puree. Hope these help
Anh Pham says
Hi Swathi, I tried 3 of your recipe, pav bhaji, paneer butter masala and this egg curry. They are extremely delicious. My husband is a picky eater who eats vegetarian food once a week. And he loves your recipe. Its super detailed and measured to the exact amount of seasoning. Thank you so much!
swasthi says
Hi Anh Pham,
You are most welcome. Glad to know! Hope you enjoy more recipes from here. Thank you!
Tejas says
I’ve have made egg curries several time, last night I made following the above recipe and my wife couldn’t stop praising me 😁. It was the best egg curry I have made so far. I think the cashew paste was the key differentiator. Thanks
swasthi says
Hi Tejas,
You are welcome. Glad your wife liked it! Yes it is the cashew paste.
Thank you!
Suzie says
Needed to add the 5 star rating!
swasthi says
Thanks much Suzie!